Category: Travel

“Do I need travel insurance?” That’s something many of us have asked ourselves when traveling via airplane. Travel insurance is especially beneficial when you travel abroad to different countries. Take a look at the key benefits of having travel insurance:

Key Features of Travel Insurance:

1. Medical & dental emergencies

Our 24/7 emergency assistance service is ready to help whenever you need it. Plus, you’ll be covered for up to $50,000 in medical expenses.

2. Delays & missed connections

Missed connection or delay leave you stranded? We’ll give you up to $1,000 to cover unplanned accommodation, meals and transportation.

3. Lost, damaged or stolen baggage

You’ve finally arrived… and your bags are nowhere to be seen. Luckily, you’re covered for up to $500 for your baggage & personal effects.

4. Trip cancellation & interruption

It happens – you or one of your traveling companions gets sick or bad weather wrecks your plans. We’ll reimburse you up to 100% of the trip cost for covered events.

5. Rental car damage & theft

With travel insurance, you don’t have to worry about buying a separate rental car policy – you’re covered for up to $50,000 in rental car damage or theft.

6. Concierge services

Concierge services help you get more from your trip – whether it’s booking you at the hottest new restaurant in town or securing last-minute tickets to an event.

Are you an avid traveler and a scare enthusiast? Well do we have the perfect list for you. We’ve compiled 5 freakishly haunting destinations around the world just in time to get your spook on this Halloween. These destinations aren’t just weird or morbid, they actually have a lot of history.

5. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle in Scotland seems pretty normal from the outside. Like many castles though, it has a lot of history. It has been around for centuries since the early Middle Ages. It hosts dungeons and secret underground passageways. In the dungeons, many prisoners were often tortured to death here throughout the ages. As a result, ghosts and orbs are said to be wandering aimlessly around the castle for eternity. When the undergrounds tunnels were first discovered, it is said that a piper was used to traverse the extensive network while those above would track his movement through his sounds. Half way through, the music stopped and the piper was never to be found.

4. Island of the Dolls, Mexico

The Island of the Dolls (Isla de las Munecas) seems too absurd to be real right? The reality is it does exist and on an a small island just south of Mexico city in the Xochimico canals. The story goes that over 50 years ago, a man named Don Julian Santana Barrera found the the body of a little girl in the canal. Her death was surrounded by mysterious circumstance and she was presumed to have drowned. A doll was found near her body and was presumably hers. Don Julian hung the doll on a tree to pay tribute to the girl. As the years progressed, he was moved by her spirit to hang more dolls along on the trees. After 50 years, he died in a similar manner as the girl. Locals say they have heard whispers from the dolls and have seen their eyes and heads move.

3. Chernobyl, Ukraine

Many of us are familiar with the catastrophic nuclear meltdown that occurred at Chernobyl in 1986 of the former USSR. The disaster left the surrounding area uninhabitable & abandoned (30 km exclusion zone) due to the nuclear fallout. Many people in the area acquired radiation induced cancers leading to painful deaths. Now it is eerily quiet with signs of a distant previous life. A graveyard of empty schools, hospitals, shops, and homes are now littered with decaying urban materials. The ghost town is said to now be haunted. Clean up crews have reported ghostly sightings and shadowy figures. In 1997, a nuclear physicist in Chernobyl named Andrei Kharsukhov reported the following:

“I stood by the entrance taking radiation and roentgen readings. I know no one could be inside the old reactor core, but I could hear very distinctly hear the sound of someone screaming for help, shouting that there was a fire inside.”

“The reactor door requires a password and a handprint, yet someone, or something was inside. Later that evening, as we were eating dinner outside the building by the river next to the plant, a flood light turned on in the room of the installation. There was no way anyone could be inside. As we ate we figured there was a power surge or something. Then just as my colleague said that, the light turned off.”

2. Aokigahara Forest, Japan

Aokigahara is also known as Suicide Forest. Since the 19th century, people in despair have been coming to the forest to kill themselves. However it didn’t become a popular spot for suicide until 1960 when a popular book was published that described a couple’s suicide in the forest. Corpses are often stumbled upon by hikers in this unforgiving topography. It is estimated that 100 suicides happen a year in Aokigahara now. The government has even put up signs in an attempt to deter people from killing themselves there. There have been stories of the spirits of the deceased living among the forest. It also doesn’t help that the forest is associated with demons (Oni) and ghosts (Yurei) in traditional Japanese folklore.

1. Catacombs, France

The Catacombs in Paris, France are quite well known for being as the world’s largest graveyard (6 million buried), which also happens to be underground of a major city. In the 18th century, cemeteries were overflowing with the dead. It was decided to bury the bodies underground in the catacombs. Even in the above ground cemeteries, bodies were exhumed and the bones placed in the catacombs. By the late 18th century, two meters of the burial ground was filled with the dead.

The catacomb network expands over 186 miles through winding and twisting passages. There have been stories of tourists getting lost and eventually dying in there. There also have been reports of skulls moving or talking and reports of being touched by invisible hands.

Those planning an international trip should prepare well in advance for as many contingencies as possible. Protect Your Bubble has organized list of five essential tips for those going internationally for business or pleasure.

1. Educate yourself before leaving – Spend some time researching the destination. Is it safe? How widely spoken is English? Also, find out if vaccinations are necessary and if so, which ones. It’s also advised to find the country’s U.S. Consulate location in advance, as well as contact the bank to update them that you’ll be traveling internationally. This will ensure the bank doesn’t assume the purchases made overseas are fraud. A bit of planning beforehand will make for a much more entertaining and less stressful trip.

2. Keep money and valuables hidden – Pickpockets, thieves and general muggers love tourists who do not speak the language, have no idea how to contact police and make easy targets. Small passport bags (also called money belts) which hang loosely in front and can be hidden inside a shirt are the best and safest way to travel. A few companies make theft-resistant bags and are not a bad idea if regular travel overseas is planned.

3. Buy a charger adapter – Many other countries use different electrical outlets from the US. The outlets are also vastly different depending on the destination, so investing in an adapter is a good idea to charge phones, cameras and other electronic gadgets while abroad.

4. Take some currency – The main branches of most banks will have the ability to change currency. The currency exchanges in the airport are frequently higher on rates than smaller, local exchange rates. Having a bit on hand makes for easier transfers at taxis and subways, so plan ahead well in advance before leaving. Learn exchange rates before leaving also, as they do change frequently. Take a look at a currency converter.

5. Buy travel insurance – A small purchase can pay huge dividends if a flight has to be canceled, baggage is lost or a medical emergency transpires. Besides, what is a few extra dollars on a trip of a lifetime, except peace of mind.

When planning your vacation travel plans, remember that travel insurance is a great way to cover trip emergencies, cancellations and interruptions.

Planning on traveling abroad soon? We’ve created a checklist to make sure you’ve got everything covered before you leave. This includes making sure your passport is more than 6 months out from its expiration date, checking the CDC for recommended vaccines or precautions for your destination, and protecting yourself from unexpected accidents or injuries with travel insurance.